Reaper's Girl (Rockin' Country #5)

by Laramie Briscoe

  EJ scrambled down off Garrett’s lap and ran for his mom, hugging her tightly around the legs before she could set her stuff down. When she finally did, she picked him up, hugging him tightly against her, kissing his cheek. “What are you doing here?”

  “We were in the area and figured we’d come see how work was going,” Garrett answered, smiling his wide smile at her. He was in workout clothes, so he must have been running in the park up the road with Jared.

  “I’m glad you’re here. I tried to call and FaceTime you.”

  He lifted his phone up. “I saw, but I didn’t have the Bluetooth connected and I was driving. Kurt told me what happened.”

  She bit her lip, nodding. She didn’t want to seem like she didn’t have it all together with Garrett sitting right there in front of her.

  Kurt looked back and forth between the two of them before he slapped his thighs. “Hey EJ, there’s popsicles in the break room. You like popsicles?”

  “Orange?” he asked, clear as day. He did love his orange popsicles.

  “I’m sure we could wrangle up an orange one while your mom and dad talk. Wanna come with me?”

  He glanced at his mom. “Go?”

  “You can go with Mr. Kurt. Be sure and pay attention to him and don’t run off.” She sat him on his feet and pulled his shirt down, making sure he looked presentable.

  “We’ll be back,” Kurt told them as he grabbed EJ’s small hand in his.

  She watched as they left and then turned to Garrett.

  “Wanna talk about it?” he asked as he held his arms out to her, moving his thighs apart so he could make room for her there.

  “I just…” She shook her head, not sure of the words she wanted to say. What was there really to say? “I can’t seem to make this happen today.”

  “You got this, Han. Why are you holding yourself back?”

  That was the question of the last three hours. Why was she holding herself back? Why wouldn’t she let the emotions go? “I guess,” she shrugged and then bit her lip, sighing, “I don’t want to sing this song without you here. I wrote it for you, and it feels weird without you here.”

  “Well, I’m here now, and you can make this song your bitch.”

  She giggled, leaning in to give him a kiss on the lips. “And I miss you.”

  “Miss you too, babe. That’s kinda why we’re here today. EJ was asking for you, and I really was right down the road, so we decided to stop in. I hoped you wouldn’t be mad and Kurt wouldn’t be mad, but he looked relieved when I walked in.”

  “I bet he was,” she agreed. “I think he was getting as frustrated with me as I was with myself.”

  “Sometimes it happens.”

  They were pulling apart when Kurt and EJ walked back in.

  “Are you ready?” he asked her, eating a popsicle of his own.

  “I am.”

  “Go on.” He motioned to the sound booth. “Go in there and show me what you can do.”

  Squaring her shoulders, she walked in, knowing her husband and son were sitting right outside. She watched as Garrett picked EJ up and sat him on his lap. With her eyes on his, she did just as asked; she showed them all what she could do.

  Chapter Six

  * * *

  “So how are you handling it?”

  Garrett looked up from the green numbers of the treadmill he was on to glance at his best friend’s face. They’d forgone Crossfit today and had decided to make use of their gym membership.

  “Handling what?”

  Jared gave an exasperated sigh. “We’re three weeks into Hannah recording this album. How are you handling it? Jesus, I have to spell everything out for you.”

  The question was a popular one with anyone who knew the two of them. He’d been asked the same thing more than he cared to admit. Everyone assumed he was so broken up over the fact she’d decided to go back to work that no one listened to what he actually said.

  “I’m doing good. EJ, on the other hand, has been having a hard time, which makes me a little stressed. It is what it is though, and there’s no way in hell I’m asking Hannah to give up something she wants to do because our son’s being a brat.” He hit the treadmill harder as he spoke.

  “You sure about what you’re saying? You’re running awfully hard over there.”

  Garrett was pissed, but not how most people assumed. While her decision affected his life and EJ’s life, most people seemed to forget how much it affected Hannah’s as well. Returning to the studio wasn’t something she’d taken lightly. She’d worried about it, stewed over it, and asked his opinion thousands of times before she’d actually pulled the trigger on getting the record company behind her. For so many to assume he made her decisions for her chapped his ass (and now he was thinking like his father-in-law spoke). He realized how hard his feet were slapping against the belt of the treadmill and stepped off, while he tried to get his breathing under control.

  “I’m sure. It’s not her being in the studio that’s pissing me off. It’s everybody else’s assumptions.”

  Jared glanced at his friend, concern on his face. “What assumptions?”

  “If I’ve ever heard or read it once, it’s been a million times. Industry types want to say I’ve been keeping her to myself because I can’t stand to be with a woman who’s more popular than me and my band. Do you know what a load of bullshit that is? I’m proud of her, more proud than I’ve ever been, because I know how hard this was for her. I was the person who listened to her and still listens to her second-guess herself every day, and it feels like all these article writers just want to see her fail. Jared, if she fails it’s going to ruin her. Do you understand me? Ruin her.” He ran a hand through his hair, pushing out breath from his tight lungs. “I want to make a statement and rip out the jugular of every asshole who assumes what they want about our relationship and my reaction to her going back to work, but then I feed into all of it, and where are we? Back at fucking square one.”

  “This is really bothering you?” Jared phrased it as a question.

  “It’s fucking me up, because if I say something, I look like a dick. If I don’t say anything, I look like a dick, and in the end, I feel like, no matter what, the person who gets hurt the most is Hannah.”

  Jared ran a hand over his beard-covered face. “Is she even aware of what’s going on?”

  Garrett shook his head. “Not really. You know as well as I do, she basically leaves social media to Shell. I mean she posts on it, but she doesn’t read the comments, not anymore.”

  “Then let it ride out, man. No matter what it’s going to get worse before it gets better. You and I both know that. If she’s oblivious, then good on her, and you don’t have to worry about her freaking out.”

  He could understand what his friend was saying, but he still wanted to be the person to protect his wife. She didn’t deserve any of this. “It’s hard as hell for me to keep my mouth shut and not tell them to fuck off.”

  “Which is why you’re telling me all your issues,” Jared reasoned. “We’ve been in this game long enough to know what’s acceptable and what’s not. You keep your mind good for her, and I’ll listen to you bitch. It’s what friends do.”

  Two years ago, Garrett realized this conversation wouldn’t be happening. Jared had been relapsing from a drug addiction, and they’d had to take a step back from their friendship so he could get the help he’d needed. Now, more than ever, Garrett was thankful to have his best friend back in his life. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I’m reading between the lines.” Jared grimaced. “And I have to say I’m glad I’m here too. Things have changed for both of us in the past few years, in ways we never thought.”

  Laughing as he got back on his treadmill, Garrett shook his head. “We’re both married, I’m a dad. Back when we first met Hannah, it wasn’t even a blip on my radar. Sure I was sick of everything, but I never assumed or thought I’d settle down so quickly.”

  “Do you ever miss it? The way li
fe used to be, before we started wearing these?” Jared lifted up his left hand so his friend could see his wedding ring. He was quiet for a long time, and Jared actually worried what the answer was going to be.

  “No.” His voice was firm with the answer. “I’ve never missed it since Hannah came into my life. Do I sometimes wish I didn’t have so much responsibility? Fuck yes. Ya know raising a kid is a huge deal. I feel like I have to set a good example all the time, and we both can remember me being a teenager and a young guy who rebelled against anything or anyone trying to make me do good things for myself.” He stopped speaking and checked the screen on his phone. It held a picture of his family. “But I don’t regret for one minute asking Hannah to marry me, agreeing to have a child, and giving up the life of different women every night. I love our life together, I love being settled. I just wish everyone else would shut the fuck up.”

  That was the one thing he and Hannah had wished from the moment they’d gone public with their relationship.

  * * *

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see the ass-end of a week in my life.”

  Hannah laughed as she and Kurt packed up the room they’d been using to record. In the past few weeks they’d chosen songs, laid down some tracks, and now they were getting to the rough parts of the job. They were starting to do the fine-tuning, ad-libbing, and making the hard decisions. She had to agree this week had been a hard one on them. They’d butted heads a few times, but he’d respected her opinion and listened as she explained her position before he explained his. A few times she’d not accepted what he’d thought, and other times she’d agreed. It was a much different experience than any of the other ones she’d ever had before. It was new, exciting, and in many ways it felt like her first album all over again.

  “I know, this week has been killer. I’m just glad Garrett agreed to put EJ down tonight so we could stay here and finish this up. We have big plans for the weekend.” She grinned.

  “I imagine being married to Reaper, your house gets a little wild.”

  “You would think so, wouldn’t you?” She raised an eyebrow as she grabbed her empty Starbucks cup and threw it away. “We’re gettin’ wild this weekend, lemme tell ya. Because I’ve missed so much with EJ, we’re going to the zoo tomorrow. Shell and Jared will probably come with us, because they always come with us. We’re having a family cookout tomorrow night, and then we’re having a very lazy Sunday. If that’s not partying it up, I don’t know what is.”

  Kurt let out a breath. “If people only knew how domesticated your husband has become.”

  “Oh.” She laughed. “Don’t let that fool you. He’s still got a very rebellious, wild side, but he can keep it under control now.” Her cheeks heated up as she thought of the wild side she loved so much. Maybe she could get him to indulge in that side if she played her cards right. Mind made up, she gave herself a secretive smile. Having her husband was a pleasure only she got to experience.

  “Well either way, have a great weekend.” Kurt tossed her a wave as he opened the door for her.

  “You too. Don’t take this the wrong way,” she said as she exited, looking forward to spending the weekend with her family. “It’ll be nice not to have to see you for the next few days.”

  “The feeling is completely mutual, and I know you’ll be ready to go on Monday.”

  There was no doubt about it. Now that Hannah had tapped into Harmony again, it felt like a piece of her was back, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to put it back in its box again.

  Chapter Seven

  * * *

  Hannah glanced at the numbers shining from the dashboard of her SUV. Ten o’clock was much later than she was used to. It’d been a very long time since she’d been out working this late at night, but both she and Garrett had agreed she’d stay as long as she needed to—in order to get it done. They wanted the entire weekend together so they could spend it with EJ. Family time was the most important thing to them, and if they had to sacrifice some through the week in order to have the whole weekend, they were willing to.

  Parking in the garage, she turned off the engine, grinning when she saw the kitchen light on through the garage entrance. Garrett had been so good about leaving lights on for her, and generally taking care of not only her but their lives as well. He’d stepped up in a way she hadn’t expected but loved just the same. Grabbing her bag, she got out and walked through and into the kitchen. Havock met her at the door with a sniff of her hand. She leaned down, giving him a pat on the nose before she walked further into the room. Her stomach growled loudly as her nose picked up the scent of her favorite pizza.

  “How did you know I’d be hungry?” she asked as she set her stuff down on the counter, smiling when she saw a sleepy-looking Garrett.

  “Hey, babe,” he greeted her with his arms wide open.

  She sank into them, loving the way they wrapped around her body, holding her close to him. He was warm and smelled like her favorite soap. Since Black Friday was taking a hiatus, he’d also taken a hiatus with his razor, and the scratchy five-o’clock shadow rubbing against her forehead made her heart race.

  “Hey, were you asleep?” The space below his eyes were shadowed, and his voice was deep in the way she knew he’d at least been halfway dozing.

  “In and out,” he admitted, leaning down to give her a quick kiss. “We had a busy day running errands and stuff. So when I finally got him to bed, I was planning on waiting up for you, but I woke up as you were coming in the back door.”

  “It’s okay.” She knew exactly what he meant by the days being busy. She remembered with great detail how she’d woken up every day—a new list to do—and then after putting EJ to bed, she’d just wanted to collapse. “Did you order pizza?”

  “Yeah, I figured you’d be hungry, and I was starving earlier.”

  “Let me go get changed.” She was dying to get into comfortable clothes. “Then will you eat with me?”

  She asked it in a small voice, kind of afraid he’d say no, since she’d woken him up.

  “You don’t even have to ask, babe. Go get changed, I’ll be right here.” He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back to his front and dropping a kiss on her neck.

  She sighed, melting into his arms. All was right at the end of the day as long as she came home to him.

  * * *

  Garrett went around the kitchen, grabbing Hannah a glass of wine and sticking two pieces of pizza on a plate for her. He knew her well enough to know she liked it cold, and she liked a little minced garlic on it. Setting the container of garlic out, he grabbed himself a beer and another plate—he’d eaten earlier but only enough to make his stomach stop growling. If at all possible, he wanted to share every minute of the day they could—together.

  He’d just finished setting it all out and giving Havock some extra food when she appeared in the doorway.

  “I looked in on EJ, he’s sleeping like a log. What’d you do with him today?” She walked over to the fridge and leaned to look in.

  Standing with his back to the sink, he tilted his head to get a good look at the curve of her ass showing through the shorts she wore. “Not that I’m not loving the show you’re giving me, babe, but what are you looking for?”

  Turning her gaze over her shoulder, she gave him a wink. “The garlic, I can’t eat pizza without garlic.”

  Motioning towards the table with his chin, he never took his eyes off her. “Already over there, but please keep giving me a show for as long as you want.”

  He watched as she gave her hips a little shake before getting upright, shutting the door, and walking over to the kitchen table. “Look at you, even got me a glass of wine. Are you being nice for a reason?”

  “I’m always nice.” He pushed off the counter and pulled out her chair for her. “There’s never an ulterior motive, other than to get you relaxed.”

  “You might think I don’t, but I see right through you, Reaper,” she teased as she took a drink fro
m her wine glass.

  “Please enlighten me, babe.”

  He couldn’t help the way his smile broke across his face, making his dimples pop. He loved teasing her, loved the ease of conversation the two of them had. As much as he loved his son too, there was something special about the time they spent alone together. They’d worked hard to make themselves a priority when everyone else had tried to pull them apart.

  “I think,” she took another drink of her wine glass, watching as he put garlic on his pizza too, “you’re putting garlic on your pizza and buttering me up because you want some time alone with me. I kind of think we have a date with the couch and a movie on as background noise.”

  His wife had him. That was exactly what he was hoping for. “Maybe a scary one so you’ll cling extra tight.”

  “If you play your cards right, it won’t even have to be scary.”

  Garrett’s eyebrows rose. There were different facets to Hannah’s personality, and this straight shooter was a new one, but he liked it. “I keep my deck close to my chest.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin as he finished his food.

  He watched as she did the same before draining her wine glass. “What would you do if I said queens were wild?” She stood from her chair, walked over, and grabbed his hand, pulling him up from where he sat.

  “I’d ask how wild my queen wanted to be.”

  “How about you let her show you?”

  Garrett groaned. He was completely on board with whatever she wanted to get into tonight.

  * * *

  Hannah’s heart pounded against her rib cage. It wasn’t very often she wanted to take charge, but tonight she wanted to show him how much she appreciated everything he’d done for them. She knew it hadn’t been easy for him to take up where she’d left off. He’d done it though, and not even uttered one word of protest. Hannah was grateful, because she’d gotten such a great partner in life.

  “Have a seat.” She took his hand over her head and sat him down on their couch.